The Black Apprentice
by the emerald wolf
Summary: While in search of the bandit Snow White, the evil queen's carriage stumbles across a lost young girl. Upon seeing herself in the eyes of the orphan, Regina can't help but take the girl in, raising her as both apprentice and daughter. But is there something greater at play than just chance at play?
1. The Devil's Carrige

The Black Apprentice

Chapter one

The Devil's Carriage

_While in search of the bandit Snow White, Queen Regina's carriage stumbles across a lost young girl. Upon seeing herself in the eyes of the orphan, Regina can't help but take the girl in, raising her as both apprentice and daughter. But is there something greater at play than just chance at play?_

The black carriage jerked roughly as it raced down the bumpy dirt road, its lace and curtains bobbing at every turn. To many it was an eyesore, the dark galloping horses signaling only one thing to the people of the kingdom.

The evil queen.

Dressed in rags a girl no older than 10 stumbled through the forest, her short brown hair bobbing as she stepped over a fallen log, looking around in bewilderment, lost and confused in more ways than one.

When the girl finally stumbled onto the flattened road in front of her, she was relieved, finding the road easier to walk on than the uneven forest floor, her bare feet already sore and swollen from the twigs and rocks, and a road had to lead somewhere, if she could find a village perhaps she could find her way home...wherever that was.

The child had barely stumbled into the road when a black chariot came barreling down the road, there was plenty of space, plenty of time to avoid it, but instead she froze. Watching the horses charge closer and closer like a deer in headlights. Frightened by the huffing horses and the thunder of hooves.

With an angry yell the driver pulled to a stop, mere seconds before he would have collided with the girl. His continued yells muffled by his dark helmet.

The carriage door flew open with a bang, a sharp female voice cut harshly through the air as a woman emerged, her elegant black dress trailing behind her.

"Why have we stopped!" she screeched, her eyes shooting daggers at her driver, her attention turning to the child a moment later. Her eyes sharpened on her, causing the child to stumble back a fearfully. "Who are you?" she called out, looking the girl up and down as if disapproving of the rags she called clothes.

"I, um..." The girl stuttered as the woman came up to her, towering above her at twice her height. The wind seeming to fall still, as if careful not to disturb the queen's unwavering presence.

"Well?" she snapped again, growing impatient. "What. Is. your. name?" she said, slowly, talking down to the child and speaking each word clearly. "Don't make me ask again." the girl's heart thundered in her chest like a hummingbird, her mouth dry as she struggled to form the words.

"I don't have one." she finally said, looking up at the stranger in a mix of confusion and fear. Regina paused, one hand falling to her hip as she shot her the universal _'that's bullshit' _look.

"Do you _know _who I am?" she said, lowering her voice to serious measure, the way a mother scolds a child even without yelling. "I don't tolerate-" she cut herself off as the girl shook her head. "You don't know who I am?" she asked again, almost serious in her disbelief.

"I'm sorry." the girl said truthfully, looking hard at the woman, glancing at the carriage yet feeling nothing, unable to recognize her, searching her mind but finding no memories at all. The queen stared down at the girl for a moment, contemplating what to do with the child.

_She's obviously lying. _She told herself. _Everyone in the kingdom knows who I am._ She paused, magic sparking in her hand. _She's in my way. _But she couldn't help but stare down in the girl's large green eyes. She hadn't run away...in fact, her eyes were pure, as if they hadn't seen the world, they held no darkness, and they'd seen no pain. Allowing the magic to fade from her twitching fingers Regina smiled, doing her best to appear kind.

"Why don't you take me to your parents?" she asked, her voice sickly sweet, but the girl shook her head.

"I don't have any." The queen faltered. Was she for real? No family, not even a name?

"Where do you live?" she asked but once again the girl shrugged, a silent unknowing in her eyes. A purity that she remembered use to shine in her eyes long, long ago. "Then I'll leave you alone." she said. Turning on her heel and making her way back to the carriage, the girl hurrying to the side of the road so the carriage could move. Stopping one of her knights at the door the queen pulled him close.

"Kill her." she whispered quietly into his ear. "Take her into the woods and leave her for the wolves." the Guard nodded, helping her up a step and waving for the driver to go before making his way to the remaining girl. She looked up at him curiously as he took roughly by the hand, leading her into the woods.

"Where are we going?" she asked, cringing as twigs scraped against her skin, squirming in the man's grasp. "What are you doing?"

"Her majesty's ordered me to lead you to safety." he lied, letting go and allowing the girl to follow him willingly. Minutes turned to hours until she could no longer see the road behind them. Something rustled in the bushes beside her and the girl jumped, glancing back for the knight to protect her, her eyes widening to see that he had vanished.

_I'm lost. _She thought to herself, turning back to the moving bush, fear finally flashing in her eyes, as a wolf emerged prowling from the bushes, its matted grey fur bristling as the rest of the pack emerged, surrounding her. Their fearsome growls filling the air. The girl cringed, her taking off in a dash, her small bleeding feet flying across the ground desperately, tripping over a log and sending her sprawling across the ground. Swallowing hard as the wolves approached. The alpha lunged, jumping into the air only to be thrown back as the woman from before came into view. Her black dress trailing behind her as the wolves turned on her. Each flying back with a swift flick of her wrist until the pack retreated, vanishing behind a lush curtain of trees. Breathing deeply the girl rose to her feet, staring at the woman in surprise.

"You...how did you..." she trailed off, taking a tentative step back, to slow as Regina snatched her hand, crouching down to her height and pulling her closer.

"No, no, I'm not going to hurt you, see." she said, creating a piece of cake in her free hand, watching as the girl's eyes went wide, eyeing it hungrily. "I'm not going to hurt you...I can use magic...that's all." she said gently, twisting her hand to shape the cake, creating several kinds of toys before allowing it to vanish into the air. "That's how I knew you were in danger…my magic told me…Are you still scared of me?" she asked, false sorrow and curiosity filling her voice but the girl shook her head, her smile widening, intrigued by this idea of magic, the ability to pull cake and toys from thin air. The queen rose to her feet. "That's good!" She exclaimed, putting her hands together excitedly. "Usually I would escort you home now but...didn't you say you were lost?"

"I don't have a home." the girl said shyly, kicking the ground with her shoe. "I…I don't remember anything…"

"How sad." Regina said, crouching down in mock sympathy. "What do you say I take you back to my home?" she asked, the girl's head snapping up in shock. "You can stay as long as you need to recover and find your way home." she offered as the girl's excitement grew.

"Really?" she begged, her emerald eyes gleaming as she flung herself forward, wrapping Regina in an embrace. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" she pleaded, burying her face in the stranger's dress as if she'd known her, her whole life. Regina's eyes widened, a small but sincere smile growing as she allowed the child to embrace her, reveling in the almost foreign feeling of love for the first time since...since Daniel.

The Queen led the child back to the carriage, allowing a confused but silent guard to help them both up the step. The girl sat quietly, grinning ear to ear in her rags as if with nothing she was the happiest child alive. The sun dancing off of her dirty red and brown hair, her legs kicking the chair lightly beneath her.

"Are you excited?" she asked and the girl nodded, staring out the window eagerly. "Now I know you said you don't have a name...but I am going to need something to call you...so pick a name...any one you like." The girl paused for only a moment. Looking out the window at the passing spring scenery in thought before returning her gaze to the dark queen before her, noting how the sun reflected off her skin like an angel.

"Anya." she announced firmly, making up her mind. "You can call me Anya."

Anya gaped out the window as what had started as a small dot in the distance became a castle, larger than anything she'd ever imagined.

"Didn't I mention?" the dark angel asked, a grin twisting at her bright red lips as she watched Anya's shocked reaction. "I'm a queen."


	2. The Angel's Castle

Chapter Two

The Angel's Castle

_In case you haven't noticed this story is going to focus a bit on the softer side of Regina, the one who loves Henry and her father. It's going to show a lot of the woman behind the monster which I can't get enough of in the show, but I AM going to do my best to keep her in character...I have big plans for this story and in the next few chapters you will see what I mean._

"Whoa..." The girl whispered as she stepped cautiously through the tile hallways, looking around in amazement as the '_queen'_ led her to her room as she'd put it.

"And this will be your bed chambers." The angel said, turning back to smile at Anya, whose mouth visibly dropped at the sight of the room, it was beautiful, gorgeous even. a King size canopy bed was placed against the far wall, beside it was a small nightstand, handcrafted from white elk tree, and beside that was a beautifully crafted matching dresser. On the other side was a balcony raised above the courtyard, high enough in the tower to peek over the edges of the castle to view an elaborate sunset, painting the sky pink in dusk.

"I-It's..." Anya began but the queen stopped her, raising her delicate hand to silence the child as she made her way to the closet, the doors flung open with a flick of her wrist, revealing a large room, silken dresses lined the walls, every color and design the young girl could imagine as she rushed in, running her hand along the smooth fabric, reveling in its soft touch. "It is amazing." she muttered softly as if entranced by the fabric.

"So did you ever have a room to yourself?" Regina asked, receiving a sad and almost blank look from the little girl, her attention ripped viciously from the expensive gifts the queen had just granted. "Oh yes, right, you don't remember...anything?" she pressed but the girl only shook her head, her russet hair waving around her as she shook her head. Seemingly no longer interested in the dresses around her. Regina sighed, perking up as an idea raced across her mind and she set her hand gently on the girl's back, leading her onto the balcony where she became enchanted by the setting sun.

"It is beautiful." she said, suddenly leaning into the queen's dress. The woman's eyes sharpened at the intrusion only to soften as she realized how the girl's eyes sagged tiredly, and she was trying not to fall asleep on the black silken dress. Almost reveling in the childlike mannerism the queen smiled briefly. She was doing it, it was working. the home the castle the gifts...she would live with her...she'd look up to her...and to one person in the world she wouldn't be known as '_the evil queen.' _rather she'd be known as Regina. Her fantasy was interrupted however when she spotted something glimmering gold under the girl's shirt, peeking out of her collar.

"Where did you get that?" she asked and the girl looked up at her, confused by her serious tone before pulling the rest of a gold necklace from her shirt, holding the round, gear like pendant in her hand for the queen to see.

"I've had it for as...well as long as I can remember." she confided. "I don't know what it means or where I got it...just that it's mine."

"Together in Paris." The queen read curiously. Biting the inside of her lips in wonder.

"Do you think it can help me remember my past?" the girl asked, growing excited. "My life until now?" she girl turned, leaning on the railing of the balcony, almost swaying with excitement as her smile grew becoming lost in her own fantasy. "I've stared at this necklace for hours, just wondering...maybe it can tell me about my family! My parents! I could go home!" the words ran through the queen's veins like ice.

No, this wasn't right! She'd been doing everything right, a home, clothes, gifts, she was being kind, good even and yet the girl was talking about remembering her family and going home? The queen almost couldn't control the rage welling up inside her, what could she possibly remember that was better than this? Better than a palace? Or worse...what if she did remember? What if one day the necklace acted like a trigger to her amnesia? No...She wouldn't take that chance.

She raised a hand to freeze the girl, she would take the necklace now, in a way the girl wouldn't notice, and then she could never leave her.

"Do you think you could do it with magic?" the girl's voice broke in, and Regina found herself staring down into a pair of bright green eyes, wide with naiveté. The queen hesitated a second before smiling.

"We can try." she said kindly, talking down to the child who was immediately thrown into a fit of laughter.

"You will!" she cried out, her wide eyes growing wider as she jumped gently for joy, before flinging her small arms around Regina's waist. a smile wavered on the queen's lips becoming filled with the child's joy, feeling almost the way she had as a young woman, trapped but somewhat happy on her small family ranch.

"Of course I will." she soothed, crouching down to the girl's height. "Just...give me the necklace and I will experiment with it...see what I can do." the girl nodded, hesitating as she reached to pull it off, finally thrusting it into Regina's grasp faithfully, a trust Regina attempted to assure with a soft smile, her nose crinkling for a second as she sniffed the air, quickly rising to her feet.

"Now, let's get you washed up, we'll have a late dinner and put you to bed ok?" she said, more of a statement than a question as she rose to her feet, looking over her shoulder towards the bedroom door. "Daddy!" she called, watching as an old man hobbled into the room, he was dressed as a butler, his grey hair was balding and he bowed in her presence.

"Yes my dearest?" he asked, his old eyes wandering to the guest.

"Take her to the bath." Regina demanded with a snap of her fingers. "And prepare dinner while the maids tend to her." The old man nodded and with a gentle urge from Regina Anya followed her father down the hall leaving Regina alone in the black and white bedroom, glaring down loathsomely at the golden pendant in her hand before striding to her own room, pulling out a box separated into compartments, each labeled with the name of a different ingredient. she mixed a couple of the positions before dropping the necklace into the vile elixir watching the clear liquid turn a nasty shade of green. The witch growled, using magic to make the necklace appear, dry in her hand. Angrily she marched over to her mirror holding the locket up as a man's face appeared in the glass.

"Mirror, mirror on my wall, to whom does this locket belong."

"Very interesting." the mirror said back, squinting to examine the pendent. "Together in Paris...what do you think that means?"

"I don't know! If I did do you think I would be asking you?" she snapped, "Now shut up and do your job!"

"humm..." The mirror mused, "This is going to take a few days."

"What?" the queen sneered. "You ALWAYS have answers...You're magic for god's sake!"

"Yes well...Paris is in another land...it's quite difficult to acquire knowledge of other lands, even with magic." the queen bit her lip, pouting for a moment.

"Fine." she snapped waving a hand over the mirror forcing the face to vanish. It wasn't like she had time for that right away anyway. Her attention was pulled from the mystery as the dinner bell sounded, its gentle ring echoing through the hallways. The queen sighed in frustration, waving a hand over her body, finding herself in a new dress after a puff of smoke. Now free of her black traveling dress she now wore a black and purple dress, ruffled at the bottom as she made her way down the hall, allowing her raven hair to fall over her slender shoulders. Practicing a smile before entering the dining room where Anya had already taken seat.

"Good evening." Regina greeted, examining the girl who rose and curtsied in her majesty's presence, taking a moment to twirl happily in her shimmering gold dress, watching its round bottom swirl around her like water. "Well it looks like you're enjoying yourself." Regina laughed, taking a seat across from Anya.

"Yes thank you!" she called out excitedly, so excited that she was rocking in her chair, kicking her feet absentmindedly under the table until accidentally kicking the underside and sending both of their forks and spoons scattering. "Sorry!" she yelped, reaching out quickly to fix her mess, failing as she stretched across the table in an attempt to reach Regina's scattered silverware.

"It's alright." Regina said, taking slight breath before waving her hand gracefully. Anya's eyes widened as the dishes rose into the air, swirling around each other for a moment, more or less so Regina could watch the wonder in the child's eyes before setting them down perfectly into place. The mishap almost forgiven just for the look of dumb fundament Anya gave, as if she had been searching for the wires.

"That's amazing!" she called, immediately quieted herself, lowering her voice to a modest level, just above a whisper. "Do you think you could show me how to do that?" she asked, straightening her back as if to impress the queen of her newfound manners. Regina's heart skipped a beat at the idea, having an apprentice would be very useful but beyond that the girl was interested...she didn't need to be tricked as she once had. The door opened before the queen could reply and she quickly gathered her thoughts as Anya's attention turned excitedly to the approaching food, the smell itself was so fulfilling the girl could feel her empty stomach turning.

The butler put down tray upon tray of food, turkey, deer, potatoes, bread and the list goes on, filling up the large table before Anya's beaming gaze. Finally settling down a handful of desserts the butler left, bowing steadily before leaving.

"Help yourself." Regina said, watching the girl dive hungrily into the food, taking a bit of everything in arms reach, filling up her plate with a variety of foods, reaching for the cake before taking a single bite. "Hey." The queen scalded, similar to the voice of a mother's. "Eat your dinner first." the girl nodded, placing the delicacy down before taking a large bite of her food.

_She lacks manner. _Regina thought, watching the girl gobble down her food, _but nothing that can't be corrected. _

"Were you able to learn about my necklace?" The girl's question cut through the queen's thoughts and she looked up to find the girl staring anxiously at her, her eyes full of excitement. Regina hesitated a moment, contemplating the price of a lie, she could easily tell her she was just a farmer's daughter which from the looks of it seemed quite possible and her parents were dead...she wouldn't mind news like that...Anya would have no choice but to stay with her, but if the truth was savory than the possible smile from the girl would outshine several stars.

The queen shook her head her jewelry swinging lazily around her.

"I'm sorry, magic this powerful will take time."

"How long?"

"Days, months, years even." she exaggerated, "It may not even be possible."

"Oh..." The girl trailed off, looking back down at her half eaten food in disappointment.

"Hey." the queen snapped, slightly offended. "You're in a castle, you're eating a banquet, and you're in a dress lined with gold...why is that _one _necklace so precious to you?"

"And I'm grateful." Anya said, using her fork to pick at the potatoes, drawing little faces in the mesh. "But that necklace is mine...I just want to know what happened...What could have taken my memory? And my parents...did they die...or did they just abandon me?" she trailed off quickly taking a bite to stop herself from thinking, to dap the tears welling in her eyes. Regina paused, sighing at Anya's sorrow. She couldn't relate to the pain...she would have _loved _for her mother to have just vanished one day.

"Champagne?" her father asked, having appeared at her side while she was in a daze. Regina nodded quietly, still in thought as he poured her a glass and moved on, asking Anya delicately.

"Hey!" She snapped at him. "She's a child, does it _look _like she should have champagne?"

"No, I'm sorry." he apologized, rolling the bottle he was holding out to Anya over for Regina to see. "That is why I am offering her children's cider." Regina froze as he continued, ignoring Anya's shocked face from Regina's demands, the child's attention quickly turning to thank him and taking a drink.

_I get it..._ Regina trailed off. _Daddy is perhaps the only person who still loves me..._she trailed off, knowing he meant the world to her which is why she had stolen him back from the wicked queen of hearts a few months before, and she began to slightly understand why Anya was desperate for her memories. Regina didn't say anything for a few moments, contemplating the worth of Anya's memories to her...clearly they were a valuable piece in the game and Regina was determined to play it appropriately.


End file.
